Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has charged the South-West Geo-political Zone to light the path for Nigeria’s rebirth by deepening collaboration across states, sectors and communities.
Sanwo-Olu, who is also the Chairman of the South-West Governors’ Forum, gave the charge on Wednesday at the South-West Citizen Government Engagement Summit in Akure.
The summit had the theme “Strengthening Democracy through Dialogue: Assessing Progress, Charting the Future”.
It brought together political leaders, traditional rulers, ethnic and religious heads, civil society groups, and youth and women leaders.
The governor urged the stakeholders to work in harmony and deploy their collective assets toward a shared regional agenda that would ensure inclusive growth and progress for all citizens.
“We are gathered not merely to reflect on our journey but to reimagine our destiny – a South-West that once again sets the pace for Nigeria’s development and becomes the standard for others to emulate.”
Sanwo-Olu described the establishment of the South-West Development Commission (SWDC) by President Bola Tinubu as a bold affirmation of the region’s collective destiny.
He said it would help drive regional transformation.
He said the commission provided an institutional platform to replicate the visionary leadership that defined the old Western Region under Chief Obafemi Awolowo.
“Let us rally around this new commission, not in rhetoric but in action. As the great sage, Obafemi Awolowo, reminded us.
‘’It is not life that matters, but the courage you bring into it.
“Now is the time to summon that courage once again to reclaim our heritage of innovation, education and good governance,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu called for deeper cooperation across states and sectors, stressing that the South-West’s diversity and harmony must be used as assets to drive shared prosperity.
“We must institutionalise peer learning among our state governments, sharing insights, replicating success stories, and jointly pursuing regional infrastructure that binds us together,” he said.
According to him, the South-West has always been a land of ‘firsts’ in education, broadcasting, urban planning and governance, and must again set the pace for Nigeria’s progress.
“The question before us today is simple: Can we, once again, light the path for Nigeria’s rebirth?
“We can, because the spirit of innovation and unity that defined our past still lives in us. Let us not waste this season of extraordinary opportunity,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu commended Tinubu for courage and reforms, saying that Nigeria was being reshaped into a land of renewed confidence, investment and prosperity under Tinubu’s administration.
“The results speak for themselves: a more stable currency, a unified exchange rate, growing exports, surging revenues, and renewed investor optimism,” he said.
He described the economic reforms as initially tough but ultimately rewarding, saying that the President’s foresight and consistency had restored faith in the nation’s economy.
“The reforms did not start out easily, as we can all attest, but the President, more than anyone else, was confident that the temporary pain would be followed by permanent benefits.
“Time has surely vindicated him,” he added.
The governor emphasised that states such as Lagos, with investment opportunities in infrastructure, transportation, agriculture, the digital and creative economy, the blue economy, tourism, and entertainment, stood to benefit greatly from the renewed macroeconomic stability.
He said, “President Tinubu’s leadership continues to teach us that boldness and consistency are the twin engines of national renewal.
“We are now more confident that our landmark public/private partnership projects such as the Fourth Mainland Bridge, Lagos Green Line, and Lekki International Airport will attract more investors.”
The governor noted that Lagos, home to three of Nigeria’s busiest ports, would benefit immensely from increased export activity, which would create jobs and boost revenue.
“Lagos State first benefited from the President’s foresight when he was Governor a quarter of a century ago, and is again benefiting from that remarkable foresight now that he is President,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He said that the South-West must take the lead in Nigeria’s journey of renewal, innovation, and inclusive development through collaboration, courage, and purposeful leadership.
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